The Commonwealth Fund
The Commonwealth Fund is a private foundation based in New York City dedicated to enhancing the common good through improvements to the health care system. Established in 1918 by Anna M. Harkness, one of the first women to start a private foundation, the organization supports independent research on health care issues and makes grants to improve health care practice and policy.
Key facts about The Commonwealth Fund
- EIN
- 13-1635260
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $31,312,443
- Grants made (2025)
- 534
- Average grant
- $58,638
- Median grant
- $15,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 29% first-time grantees (91 of 317, 2025)
- Total assets
- $922,680,894
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (24% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who The Commonwealth Fund funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for The Commonwealth Fund's 534 itemized 2025 grants were District of Columbia (24%), New York (21%) and Massachusetts (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (114 grants), New York, NY (114 grants), Boston, MA (27 grants) and Cambridge, MA (24 grants). 37% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Is The Commonwealth Fund open to new grantees?
29%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 91 of 317 grantees (29%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $27K; repeat grants $128K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $15K repeat.
- 57% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 20% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 117% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2021–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with The Commonwealth Fund
- How to evaluate The Commonwealth Fund as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
- Draft an LOI to The Commonwealth Fund with AI
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- Track this opportunity in a free grant tracker
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Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$922.7M
+5.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$31.3M
+19.7% YoY
Grant Count
534
-3.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$59K
+24.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Commonwealth Fund reported a distributable amount of $43.3M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission Statement: The Commonwealth Fund's mission is to promote a high-performing, equitable health care system that achieves better access, improved quality, and greater efficiency, particularly for society's most vulnerable, including people of color, people with low income, and those who are uninsured.
Primary Focus Areas:
The Fund's work centers on three core pillars:
- Care: Health care delivery system reform, advancing health equity, and behavioral health
- Coverage: Health care access and insurance coverage issues
- Communications: Using print, broadcast, online, and social media to inform critical stakeholder groups, especially policy officials and leaders in health care delivery
The organization also maintains an international program in health policy designed to stimulate innovative policies and practices in the United States and other industrialized countries.
Grantmaking
The Commonwealth Fund makes grants to support research and initiatives that improve health care practice and policy. Recent grant activity includes funding for:
Ready to take the next step with The Commonwealth Fund?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Commonwealth Fund funds projects across the United States and internationally. Domestic funding spans numerous states including California, Texas, Florida, and many others, with particular activity in major urban centers such as New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago. International funding extends to cities including London and Paris.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 534 itemized 2025 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Financial Data (Fiscal Year 2025):
- Total Assets: $922.7 million
- Total Revenue: $39.8 million
- Total Expenses: $52.0 million
- Total Giving: $31.3 million
- Number of Employees: 53
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $922,680,894 | $875,566,732 | $864,829,934 |
| Revenue | $39,838,343 | $40,713,328 | $22,299,026 |
| Expenses | $51,961,087 | $48,850,563 | $52,394,916 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $50,785,477 | $43,901,029 | $47,000,796 |
| Net Investment Income | $36,644,134 | $36,682,565 | — |
| Distributable Amount | $43,263,709 | $41,933,817 | $42,756,924 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
2,614 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Commonwealth Fund
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest recipients include The Commonwealth Fund ($3,790,429 across 23 grants), SSRS ($2,411,933 across 7 grants), President and Fellows of Harvard College ($2,025,212 across 18 grants).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Commonwealth Fund New York, NY | Harkness Fellowships in Health Care Policy and Practice: Authorization for 2024-25 Class | $2,345,604 |
| President and Fellows of Harvard College Cambridge, MA | The Commonwealth Fund Fellowship in Minority Health Policy at Harvard University, 2025-26 | $850,000 |
| SSRS Glen Mills, PA | International Health Policy Survey, 2025 | $800,456 |
| Georgetown University Washington, DC | Analysis of Policies Affecting Health Insurance Access, Affordability, Adequacy, and Equity in the Individual and Small-Group Markets, Year 14 | $639,482 |
| Rush University Medical Center Chicago, IL | Testing, Scaling, and Disseminating the Racial Equity in Healthcare Progress Report, Phase 2 | $638,814 |
| SSRS Glen Mills, PA | 2025 Health Care Affordability Research, Adults 19 to 64 | $560,000 |
| SSRS Glen Mills, PA | The Commonwealth Fund 2024 Biennial Health Insurance Survey | $514,781 |
| SSRS Glen Mills, PA | International Health Policy Survey, 2024 | $490,115 |
| Urban Institute Washington, DC | Modeling Policies That Could Expand and Improve Health Coverage and Affordability - or Roll Back Progress | $440,000 |
| Urban Institute Washington, DC | Analyzing Emerging Health Reform Proposals | $430,800 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
President: David Blumenthal
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Commonwealth Fund has been active in launching new initiatives and funding programs:
Launched a National Task Force on the Future Role of Employers in the U.S. Health System
The Commonwealth Fund Launches National Task Force on Future Role of EmployersAnnounced funding for AI adoption initiatives in essential hospitals
America\u2019s Essential Hospitals Receives Commonwealth Fund Grant to Support\Supported digital innovation projects at community health centers
Funded research and programs addressing mental health care access, rural health transformation, and telemedicine effectiveness
Commonwealth Fund creates task force on employer-based health insuranceThe organization continues to publish research and policy analysis on health care issues, with recent publications addressing topics such as Medicaid enrollment and work, health care AI implementation, and health equity issues.
Commonwealth Fund creates task force on employer-based health insuranceSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Commonwealth Fund fund?
**Mission Statement:** The Commonwealth Fund's mission is to promote a high-performing, equitable health care system that achieves better access, improved quality, and greater efficiency, particularly for society's most vulnerable, including people of color, people with low income, and those who are uninsured. **Primary Focus Areas:** The Fund's work centers on three core pillars: • **Care:** Health care delivery system reform, advancing health equity, and behavioral health • **Coverage:** Heal…
How do I apply for a grant from The Commonwealth Fund?
The Commonwealth Fund makes grants to support research and initiatives that improve health care practice and policy. Recent grant activity includes funding for: • AI adoption in essential hospitals • Digital innovations at community health centers, including AI-powered screening tools for diabetic eye disease • Mental health care access through innovative payment models • Rural health transformation initiatives • Telemedicine and low-value care reduction The organization's website receives subs…
Where does The Commonwealth Fund make grants?
The Commonwealth Fund funds projects across the United States and internationally. Domestic funding spans numerous states including California, Texas, Florida, and many others, with particular activity in major urban centers such as New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago. International funding extends to cities including London and Paris.
What size grants does The Commonwealth Fund award?
In 2025, The Commonwealth Fund awarded 534 grants totaling $31.3M — an average of about $59K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Commonwealth Fund required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, The Commonwealth Fund reported a distributable amount of $43.3M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Commonwealth Fund's EIN?
The Commonwealth Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-1635260. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Commonwealth Fund's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.